PARIS – The Oxford County commissioners for the second time have taken issue with a bill from the town of Rangeley.

On Tuesday, Commissioners Jim Carey and Steve Merrill took action, voting not to pay the full amount.

“I can’t believe this,” Merrill said as he looked over the bill, which covered services Rangeley provides to unorganized territories in the county.

Merrill remarked on a 38 percent increase in fees for fire and rescue services.

In the last fiscal year, Rangeley billed the county $4,938 for ambulance services, $6,936 for fire and rescue and $1,500 for sewage treatment, for a total of $13,374.

This year, the town has requested $12,500 for ambulance services, $9,591 for fire and rescue and $1,500 for sewage treatment.

At a Nov. 16 meeting, the town also requested $10,790 for parks and recreation services and cemetery maintenance. Commissioner Fred Kennard then protested vehemently. Those requests did not appear on the bill presented Tuesday.

Even so, Merrill and Carey said they could not support the increase in fire and rescue services. Instead, they voted 2-0 to flat-fund the request at $6,936.

The sewage treatment fees, which remained level, were approved with the same 2-0 vote.

The commissioners decided not to vote on the $12,500 ambulance service request. Administrative Assistant Carole Mahoney said the town owns the ambulance service at this time, but the local hospital is negotiating a purchase agreement for the service.

“We may be dealing with the hospital directly,” Mahoney said, and suggested the commissioners wait for the negotiations to end before approving that portion of the bill.

The commissioners also on Tuesday voted 2-0 to approve a $623,185 budget for the county’s unorganized townships. That figure should be offset by $214,832 in expected revenues, leaving a tax assessment of $408,353, according to a worksheet Mahoney provided.

A public hearing on the budget was held during the commissioners’ regular budget process, Mahoney said. On Tuesday, representatives of the unorganized townships were invited to attend, but made no appearances.

The expenditures represent a 6 percent increase over last year’s approved amount, which was $586,120. The budget covers expenditures for items such as road maintenance and plowing, fire protection, animal control and cemeteries.